Electric meter



(No Mb dvel.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

A. REOKENZAUN & J. A. PENTZ.

ELECTRIC METER.

No. 394,880. Patented Dec. 18, 1888.

lNVENTORS.

2 SheetsSheet 2. A. REGKENZAUN 8v J. A. PENTZ.

(No Mode 1.)

ELEGTEIG METER.

Patented Dec. 18, 1888.

INVENTORY WITNSSES:

m PETERS. Pholmljlhognplwr, Wahinglon. me

NTTEE STATES PATENT EETcE.

ANTHONY RECKENZAUN AND JAMES A. PENTZ, or PHILADELPHIA,

PENNSYLVANIA.

ELECTRIC METER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 394,880, dated December18, 1888.

Application tiled January 20, 1888. Serial No. 261,405. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, AN'rHoNY RECKEN- ZAUN, of London, England, asubject of the Queen of Great Britain, and JAMES A. PENTZ,

a citizen of the United States, both residing at l Philadelphia, in thecounty of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Electric Meters; and we do declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form apart of this specification, and in which Figure 1 is a side elevationwith parts in vertical section. Fig. 2 is an end elevation.

The object of the invention is to provide means for measuring the amountof electrical energy flowing through a given circuit in, a given time.

This instrument consists, essentially, of a motor capable of turning theregistering mechanism. This motor may be any suitable means. It may be adevice worked by springs or by compressed air, or raised weights, or anyother kind of power; but it is preferred to utilize an electric motorfor this purpose. Such electric motor, of any known construction andrepresented by A, is connected in shunt to the main cu rrentby means ofthin wi res a a. The arm ature and field-magnets of such motor will bewound in such a manner that the speed of the motor is constant with aconstant potential at the terminals 15 *3 ot' the meter or instrument.

The motor A carries on its spindle a worm, G, which gears into awormavlmel, D, which is t'aced on. one side. Against this lface works aFriction wheel or roller, E. This friction-wheel is attached to a tube,l1, say of brass. This brass tube is threaded upon the steel spindle orshaft; G and is capable of sliding up and. down. In order that thespindle G may revolve with the brass tube F, a pin, t), is put intospindle (t, which pin projects through a long slot, 0, in tube F. Thisslot allows the brass tube to slide up and down it pressure isapplied toit. l'pon the upper end of spindle G is placed another worm, ll, which lactuates worm-wheel I, to which a train of wheels, as l and 2, isgeared.

.1 represents a tube or core of wrought-iron attached to brass tube F bysuitable means say by set-screw e.

K represents a wi re coil or solenoid. henever a current is passingthrough the solenoid K, the solenoid will suck the iron J into it, andthe greater the current the stronger will be this attraction or suction.

The shaft (I of worm-wheel D is journaled in a suitable box, Ti, andagainst its end bears an arm or spring-plate, M, the pressure of whichagainst the end of the shaft (7 to keep the worm-wheel andfriction-wheel in contact may be regulated by a screw or a thumb-nut, N,on a pin, 0, having its bearing in the post of the boxing L. The framingP may be of any suitable construction, and a screw, Q, may be employedto centerand hold shat't G on its step R.

The modus operandi is as follows, viz: Terminals l3 and ll of the meterwill be joined to any electric-supply circuit the energy of which it isdesired to measure. As soon as the current is switched on, and not untilthen, the constantspeed motor A will revolve. Let it be assumed that nocurrent is required by the main circuit, the motor A then will onlyconsume a very small fraction of energy nectime the trictitm-roller Ewill be in the center of worm-wheel D, its normal position. When thetlow of current is caused by eleetriclamps or other engery-consumingapparatus being put in action, the core J will be sucked up into thesolenoid K, and simultaneously the friction-roller E will be raised outof the center of worm-wheel l), which keeps on revolving and causes theroller E to revolve with it. The greater the current in the solenoid Kthe farther will the friction-rotler E be moved away from the center ofthe worm-wheel l). The speed of worm (l being constant, the revolutionsot' friction-wheel E and spindle G will be in proportion to the radialdisplacementot wheel or roller E. (lonscquent' 'the more energy there isconsumed the ta. or will roller E and everything attached to it run, sothat there is formed a variable-speed gear. 'Wormwheel I drives the setof wheels 1 and 2, proessary for its own propulsion, "and at such. 7

venient unit of time.

need not he s1'ieeitied.

'ided with the pointers or hands 3 and +1 which will. indicate on asuitable scale formed, say, on the face of the train-wheels the numberof revolutionspet-hour or per day or any eon- The train of wheels,pointers, and seales may he arranged in any well-known way, so that onewill show units, another tens, another hundreds, &e., and the parts ofthe instrument are so proportioned TO that given numbers of revolutionsof the 2o inside the solenoid, or it may he balanced by a spring, itdesirable. These features are not speeitieally (-laimed, and, heing wellunderstood, need not he illustratml andparticularly deserihed.

llaving deserihed our invention and set forth its merits, what we elaimis '1. In an eleetrie meter, the eomhination ot' a register orindieator, a shaft for transmitting motion thereto, a eonslant-speedmotor,

0 a wheel deriving a eonstant-speed movement therefrom, a sleeve mountedon said shaft to rotate therewith and slide thereon, and to gravitatedownward, a varial)le-speed frietion wheel or roller connected with saidsleeve and hearing against the face of said constant speed wheel toderive rotative movement from it, a core connected with said sleeve, anda solenoid energized from the main current and influencing said core tochange the point of contact of said variable-speed wheel. with theeonstant-speed wheel to vary the speed of the former in proportion tothe energy eonsu med, substantially as described.

2. In an electric meter, the combination of the rotating shaft G,provided. with. worm II at one end to transmit motion to a registeringmechanism, a sleeve, 11, mounted on said shaft to slide thereon and turnthe same and carrying a 'li'rietion-wheel, IE, and eore J, turningtherewith, a eonstant-speed worm-wheel, D, against the 'taee off whichsaid 'lt'riotion-wheel 'hea1's,a worm, meshing with said wormwheel, aeonst' antsspeed motor for revolving said worm, and the solenoidactuated by the energy to be measured for ehanging the bean ing-point oisaid roller on the face of said worm-wheel to vary the speed of saidroller, substantially as deserihed.

ln testimony whereof we at'iix our signatures in presence of twowitnesses.

A. RECKENZAUN. JAMES A. PENTZ.

\Yitnesses:

ROBT. GLASS, 11. F. REARDON.

